27 – Digital storage, digital dreams

“You dug all this yourself?” Gyhlot, who was looking around at the irregular tunnel, asked.

“Yep, using this hammer here.”

“Well,” the dwarf pointed at the height of one of the steps. “You made them a bit high for me to climb.”

“Sorry about that. It’s the hammer’s fault.”

The dwarf did not reply. Even he, a man of the caves and stone, could not see how it was possible that a hammer would refuse to dig better than this. In fact, it made little sense to dig with a hammer to begin with, but he was not one to question what was in front of him. Results were results, and if that hammer that looked like it was made of stone and had gems on its surface was able to dig this, then it was fine.

What worried him, was how trusting this human seemed to be. Even though he had done nothing suspicious so far, what did the human know that he wasn’t secretly waiting for the right moment to stab him in the back? Also, the human did not give his name, which was a wise move, but it made no sense to be so private about one thing, and then so careless about everything else. Something was off here, but he didn’t dare say anything.

In fact, his real worry was that it had been all to easy. Too convenient. Just when he needed help the most, a human appeared and asked him of all people for help. Utter madness, but not something he would refuse. He would do anything he could to get out of this place, after such a long time in darkness and solitude.

After they reached the surface, they began to walk back towards Avalon. The sun was radiant, the brilliance of its light stinging the eyes of a dwarf who spent too long a time without even the light of a fire.

Soon enough, the huge floating island was quite visible even from down below, towering above the canopy of the trees. Gyhlot stopped in place, and stared at the floating island with his mouth agape.

“So, it was true.”

“Yep.”

He was completely in awe at the sight of a gigantic mountain, upside down, floating in the air. He stared so much in fact, that he nearly stumbled many times on the way there. When they got close enough, it became evident how they were supposed to reach the top.

“You know, lad, I expected something a bit… more, than a ladder.”

“You just wait.” Jacob smirked. “This will have to do for now.”

They climbed, Gyhlot just behind Jacob, climbing fast despite his little build. He could not contain his excitement at the idea of seeing what would lie at the top of this stairway. How was the world as seen from the heavens themselves.

“You’re quite odd, for a dwarf.” Jacob said absentmindedly.

Gyhlot almost panicked. “Why’s that?” He said hurriedly.

“Dunno, you aren’t afraid of heights?”

“Ah, well. But that’s just a stereotype isn’t it? Our caves are many times taller than this ladder here, and I’ve worked so many times hanging from the ceiling there that I can’t even feel a little thrill anymore.”

Jacob seemed satisfied with the answer, and moved on. Gyhlot heaved a sigh of relief.

When they reached the top, they went through a little stone room and out of a set of iron doors. Then, Jacob exchanged pleasantries with one of the most beautiful women Gyhlot had ever seen. Then another woman, even more stunning than the other, came in and chatted a while with the human. She giggled and laughed, stealing glances at him whenever she could. He was stoic.

Gyhlot didn’t know whether Jacob was worthy of praise for his heroic efforts at resisting the flirting of such a peerless beauty, or if he was a fool. He just shook his head, and sighed.

“And who is this little friend?”

“Ah, right. Sorry. Lumia, this is Gyhlot. Gyhlot, this is Lumia.”

She smiled at him. He felt his skin turn beet red under his beard.

“Come, now, I need to tell you what to do, so that I can just go and do my thing. I’m in a rush, come on!”

Both Lumia and Gyhlot almost struggled to follow Jacob to the central plaza. There, he dumped a mountain of materials and tools, almost as big as the island itself, startling everyone. He gave instructions, which basically boiled down to “build something epic, and teach them.”, then he went to his tower and shut himself inside.

He stayed there for many days and nights. Only the occasional noise came out of those walls, and not a sign of anything else. Everyone just wondered what Jacob was building in here, but none dared to approach the building. Even Lumia kept her distance, quietly thinking about the last words Jacob said to her before shutting himself inside.

“Digital storage.”